Rolling Stones and Elton John Say Trump Campaign Is Using Their Songs Without Permission

We can add the Rolling Stones and Elton John to the growing list of artists who aren't on board with Donald Trump using their music at events during his campaign for the United States presidency.

The Daily Beast reports that a Stones spokesperson has told them the band "was not asked for permission" from the Trump campaign before the Republican candidate added three of their songs — "You Can’t Always Get What You Want," "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Brown Sugar" — to his pre-event playlist.

Although the Stones camp has yet to issue comment regarding what, if any, action they're willing to take toward the Trump campaign, the Daily Beast report notes that at least one member of the band has gone on record as being opposed to his platform. In a 2015 interview with Billboard, guitarist Keith Richards called the idea of a Trump administration "the worst nightmare" and added, "But we can’t say that. Because it could happen. This is one of the wonders of this country. Who would’ve thought Ronald Reagan could be president?"

John, meanwhile, addressed the Trump campaign's use of his music in an interview with the Guardian last month, stressing that while it's nothing personal, he isn't at all comfortable with his songs being associated with any American political candidate.

"I’m British," John pointed out. "I’ve met Donald Trump, he was very nice to me, it’s nothing personal, his political views are his own, mine are very different, I’m not a Republican in a million years. Why not ask Ted f---ing Nugent? Or one of those f---ing country stars? They’ll do it for you."

The 2016 campaign season is still relatively young, but a number of other artists have already come out against Trump using their music, including Neil Young, Aerosmith and R.E.M. — although he has received support from Twisted Sister frontman and former Celebrity Apprentice contestant Dee Snider.